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City Beat
Your city, your news
May 4, 2020
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Welcome to City Beat, a free weekly e-newsletter containing the latest news and information about the City of Bartlesville and related topics. Get yours delivered each week!
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Projects update
Downtown streets project set to start soon
Council OKs contracts for skate park, Pathfinder projects
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Several City projects — including the Downtown Streets Mill and Overlay project, a playground at Veterans Park, Pathfinder Parkway extensions and the construction of a skate park at Lee Lake — are expected to be underway soon thanks to actions taken by the City Council on Monday.
The council authorized work contracts for several projects during the regularly scheduled meeting, most of which will be under construction in the next month or two, Director of Engineering Micah Simers told the council.
Contracts for the following projects were approved unanimously by the council:
Downtown Central Business District Paving Rehabilitation ($2 M)
Downtown Landscaping Phase 2 ($250,000)
Pathfinder Parkway Connection: Downtown to West Bartlesville ($373,000)
Contractor: KSL Dirtworks
Budgeted amount: $2,623,000
Funding source: 2018 G.O. Bond Issue
Cost: $1,977,788
Start date
: Approximately 60 days
Targeted completio
n: 6-7 months
Work on the Downtown Central Business District Paving Rehabilitation, the Pathfinder Parkway Connection from downtown to West Bartlesville and the Downtown Landscaping Phase 2 projects, all approved by voters in the 2018 General Bond Obligation Issue, will be completed as a combined project.
Project overview
:
- A two-inch mill and overlay of downtown streets between Adams Boulevard and Hensley Boulevard and between Jennings Avenue and Cherokee Avenue (excludes State highways Adams and Hensley as well as Cherokee Avenue and Frank Phillips Boulevard)
- Handicap ramps at intersections
- New handicap parking spaces
- Bike lane striping and signage on Dewey between Hensley and Adams, on Fourth Street between Cherokee and Comanche, and on Second Street between Dewey and Keeler
- Downtown landscaping on Frank Phillips from Keeler to Cherokee
"As one of our lengthier projects, the downtown streets mill and overlay will require a disruption for traffic flow in the downtown area over a fairly considerable amount of time," Siemers said. "However, we will do our best to minimize that disruption by completing the project in phases. In other words, we'll mill one street and then put that street back together before moving to the next street."
Siemers said the combined projects have been coordinated with several other downtown projects either recently completed or nearing completion, including the Tower Center at Unity Square community gathering space at Sixth Street and Dewey Avenue, the downtown storm system and sewer line improvements and the Frank Phillips Mill and Overlay from Sunset Boulevard to Park Street.
The Pathfinder connection project involves the extension of the existing Pathfinder Parkway pedestrian and bicycle trail system from its end point in Johnstone Park into and through Downtown Bartlesville and then to West Bartlesville via a combination of both on-street and off-street designs along with informational and directional signage. This portion of the project involves only bike lane signage. Leftover funds allocated to this project will be used to fund other portions of the project.
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Pathfinder Parkway Extension
Contractor: Whaling Construction
Budgeted amount: $222,700
Funding source: Half-cent Capital Improvement Projects Fund ($90,000); Recreational Trails Program grant ($132,700)
Cost: $220,445
Start date
: 30-60 days
Targeted completio
n: No later than December 2020
Project Overview:
- Construction of new Pathfinder Parkway trail from the existing trail system at the Highway 75 bridge over Turkey Creek to the trail system that ends at the Paths to Independence School on Frank Phillips Boulevard
- Replacement of the temporary gravel parking lot on the west side of Highway 75 near Eastland Parkway
"This project will involve constructing a new trail heading east from Highway 75 behind Long John Silvers/A&W continuing east through the vacant Eastland property where it meets the west end of Brookline Drive," Siemers said. "The trail will then follow Brookline Drive east to Frank Phillips and will cross Frank Phillips just east of Turkey Creek where the trail currently terminates in the former Will Rogers School building parking lot, or what is now the Paths to Independence School."
Siemers said this project has faced several delays due to problems acquiring property easements and other issues.
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Skate Park at Lee Lake
Contractor: Evergreen Skateparks (Portland, Ore.)
Budgeted amount: $375,000
Funding source: Half-cent Capital Improvement Projects Fund ($25,000) and 2018 G.O. Bond Issue ($350,000)
Cost: $375,000
Start date
: Around June 1
Targeted completio
n: Mid- to late-August
Project overview:
- Construction of a new concrete skate park at Lee Lake, located near Adams Boulevard and Silver Lake Road. The park will be located adjacent to and south of the parking lot at Daniels Fields soccer/cricket fields
- Concrete skate course with street amenities and bowls
Veterans Park Playground
Contractor: Builders Unlimited
Budgeted amount: $158,882
Funding source: 2018 G.O. Bond Fund ($80,000); Community Development Block Grant Set Aside Program ($78,822)
Cost: $150,566
Start date
: Late summer
Targeted completio
n: 8 weeks after start of construction
Project overview:
- Jet fighter themed playground installation just east of the pavilion located southeast of Frontier Pool
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Winner chosen in Tower Center art contest
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Missouri artist Amie J. Jacobsen has been chosen the winner of the centerpiece design competition for the Tower Center at Unity Square, located between the Price Tower Arts Center and the Bartlesville Community Center.
Jacobsen’s “Native Color at Unity Square” was unanimously accepted by selected local art judges and the Design Committee for Tower Center at Unity Square. Jacobsen followed the request of the competition to have a design that represents “Unity, the Bartlesville community and is a place to gather to appreciate the arts in a natural environment," according to a press release issued by the Tower Center at Unity Square Design Committee last week.
"This art piece is a grove of gleaming stainless steel and colorful thick-cast glass “Indian Blanket” flowers attended by honeybees," the committee said. "The Indian blanket is the state wildflower, of vibrant colors of red and yellow, and the honeybees are a nod to nature, community workers and producers. It will also use some native stone as seating near the installation.
"The flowers in the design will stand from eight feet to 11 ½ feet tall, making them a bold image in the landscape. The height also keeps them well above the heads of visitors playing in the area and watching performances on the outside stage. In-ground water jets will spring up among the flowers during summer months, allowing for a fun place in which children can play."
Jacobsen is an artist and designer working in the Kansas City, Mo. area. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in Studio Art from Western State Colorado as well as a master of fine arts degree in illustration from the Savannah College of Art and Design, where she taught illustration from 2006-2015.
In 2015 Jacobsen took the opportunity to learn metalworking as the in-house designer and resident artist at Machine Head, a metal fabrications shop in the Crossroads Art District in Kansas City. She then moved into her own studio and workshop where she and her team create pieces ranging from functional art and furniture to monumental public art pieces.
“For me, each piece is a celebration of the joy of human creativity and the ability to take raw materials and make something new," Jacobsen said.
Information and illustrations courtesy of Bartlesville Community Center
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Leaf, grass collection underway this week
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The City of Bartlesville’s free leaf and grass collection for Bartlesville residents is underway this week, May 4-8. The service is provided multiple times each year to help residents dispose of yard debris.
Leaves must be placed at the curb in bags on your scheduled trash day for collection. Yard waste stickers are not required during this collection and clear or colored bags may be used. The collection is for leaves and grass only — no trash is permitted — and no commercial collections will be made, Public Works Director Keith Henry said.
“This collection is for private residences only — no commercial collections will be made,” Henry said. “Also, this is for yard debris only. When it comes to trash and other items, residents should comply with all other standard refuse regulations.”
There is no limit on the number of bags a resident can put out for this collection. Leaves and grass will only be collected once, on the same day as scheduled trash collection. Extra bags or items of household refuse outside the cart must have the red refuse sticker attached. This free collection of leaves and grass will only be for this designated week.
Tree limbs will be collected as long as they’re bundled and do not exceed 4 feet in length or 50 pounds.
For more information, call 918.338.4130.
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Landfill resumes City coupon program
After being suspended briefly due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Osage Landfill is again accepting City of Bartlesville-issued coupons for a free trip to the landfill for Bartlesville residents.
The coupons are issued to Bartlesville residents as part of the City’s Annual Clean-up Program, which allows residents one free trip to the landfill during the calendar year.
The coupon is valid for City of Bartlesville Residential Solid Waste customers only. No commercial accounts or contractors will be permitted. One coupon is issued per customer and may not be duplicated.
The clean-up program is intended to help Bartlesville residents dispose of items typically too large or cumbersome for their weekly trash pick-up, said Public Works Director Keith Henry.
“The program gives people the opportunity to dispose of things like furniture, appliances (under certain conditions) and other items they can’t put in their regular trash,” Henry said. “It is important to note that things like complete structures, including roofs, trees and vehicles are NOT permitted.”
Other items not permitted include tires, batteries, hazardous material, wet paint, appliances that have not had the compressors removed, such as refrigerators, freezers and air conditioners, and demolished structures. Appliances must be certified “Freon free” if the compressor is not removed.
“All appliances that have compressors must have the compressors removed before disposal,” Henry said. “The compressor can be disposed if it is removed. We recommend that everyone contact a licensed refrigerant technician for the removal.”
Residents may take their items to Osage Landfill during regular business hours, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday.
For questions or more information, contact the Public Works Department at 338-4131.
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Snack break
Alayna Nightingale, 10, and Adalyn Nightingale, 7, delivered a sweet surprise to City Hall staff last week. The two made cookies and, with some help from mom, Andrea Nightingale, brought them to City Hall to thank City employees for "making the city awesome."
"The cookies were delicious," said City Manager Mike Bailey. "Thank you to Alayna and Adalyn for thinking of us at City Hall and making our day a little brighter."
Most City facilities, including City Hall are currently closed to the public due to the coronavirus pandemic; however, staff is available to provide services and answer questions.
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Local company Boom Mobile donates masks
Boom Mobile of Bartlesville recently donated 2,000 masks to the City of Bartlesville to assist during the City's planned reopening.
Most City facilities, including the Bartlesville Public Library and Bartlesville Area History Museum, have been closed to public access since last month. Reopening facilities will begin being phased in with Phase 2 of Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt's Open Up and Recover Safety (OURS) plan, as determined by the State.
Boom Mobile CEO/Founder Jeff Holley said the company wanted to help give back to first responders in recognition of everything they're doing to help people during the coronvirus pandemic. He said the company purchased 25,000 masks from Blue Beat Digital, which launched a challenge to give away 1 million masks in response to the pandemic.
"We jumped in on that challenge," Holley said.
Holley said Boom Mobile is finding the areas on the community where the masks are needed the most and delivering them to those locations.
"What I'd like to do is challenge any company ... to be a part of the solution — to find a way that you can get involved in our community and some of the same things, whether its your services, masks or hand sanitizers," Holley said. "Now is not the time to think about, 'Can I put an extra buck in my pocket?' Now is the time to reach out and help those that are close to you."
"Our first responders and City personnel will use these masks as we continue to interface with the public throughout the phased reopening of our facilities," said City Manager Mike Bailey. "We're very appreciative of this generous gift from Mr. Holley and Boom Mobile."
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Board, Committee & Commission Openings
The City of Bartlesville has numerous boards, committees and commissions that are driven by citizen volunteers. All citizens are encouraged and welcome to apply.
Board applications are located
online
and
in the city manager’s office, located on the second floor of City Hall, 401 S. Johnstone Ave. Applications are kept on file for two years. To view a complete list, see
Boards, Committees & Commissions
.
The City currently has the following committee/board openings:
- One opening on the City Planning Commission
- One opening on the Construction and Fire Code Appeals Board
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Job Listing
The City of Bartlesville is currently accepting applications for the following positions:
There are currently no open positions.
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Kelli Williams, Editor
401 S. Johnstone Ave.
Bartlesville, OK 74003
918-338-4132
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